


Goodbye Kiss

by Merayi



Category: Lackadaisy
Genre: 1920s, F/M, Goodbyes, Jazz Age, Last Kiss, One Shot, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-19
Updated: 2018-04-19
Packaged: 2019-04-24 22:33:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14365092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merayi/pseuds/Merayi
Summary: Mitzi May is starting a new life, leaving behind everything she has known for a chance to start over. Zib has realized that this new life doesn't have room for him. It's hard to say goodbye.





	Goodbye Kiss

“Mitzi?” 

I looked up to see Zib standing in the doorway, his saxophone case resting at his feet, his slim body bowed against the frame. Smiling at him, beckoning him in, I turned back to the mirror, finished painting crimson on my lips, and pouted at my reflection. The mirror showed Zib walk up behind me. When he spoke, his usually smoky-smooth baritone was gruff. “I’ve come to say good-bye before Atlas comes to pick you up.” 

“Yes.” I frowned at our reflections, him leaning against the wall behind me like a shadow, “I guess I still haven’t quite believed I’m leaving yet.” Seeing Zib’s angular face fall, I stood and hugged him quickly. Familiar, warm arms wound around my waist, drawing me tight against a familiar, warm chest. Zib rested his head on mine, pressing a gentle, almost-brotherly kiss into my hair before I pulled away. 

In an instant, a thousand memories poured from my heart like a tipped-up hourglass. They were memories of loving him, of the day we decided to run away with the band – he had held me against his chest like that on the train – of the day that he told me he had feelings for me, the first time we made love, on the rough, cheap sheets of a motel bed in New York. My life with him, which was indeed most of my life, flashed in bright images before my closed eyes as I finally realized just how much I was saying good-bye to. 

I loved Atlas, I really did, and he was my ticket out of this dump. But, then, how could I still be so conflicted? 

No, I wouldn’t cry. I would smudge my makeup and I wanted to look nice when Atlas came and picked me up. 

Who am I kiddin’? I felt the hot tears of grief begin to slip down my cheeks, as hard as I tried to stop them, as much as I told myself that I didn’t care. 

“It’s almost funny,” I said through shaky breaths, “Even so much as a year ago, we would have been happy to see the other one go, but now… when I’m really leaving… for good….” I shook my head. “I… I’m gonna miss you, honey. I’m gonna miss you… so much….”

“Really?” Zib’s baritone, still a little tight with resignation, betrayed surprise. “Ishkabibble. Why? You left me, and you are leaving me again.” 

I was taken aback by his question. Why did he think I was going to miss him? He had been my best friend, my lover, and just because we were no longer together did not mean that all my feelings for him were gone. I had been with him in some way or another for most of my life. I didn’t know how to answer him. 

“Because,” I said, looking down at my feet, and then giving him a smile through my lashes as I quipped, “I will. You were my friend, remember? And, Zib, darling, you tend to grow on people, a bit like mould on cheese.” 

Zib laughed, and the strained atmosphere lifted slightly. His was a deep, silky chuckle that made me smile. 

“Yeah, all right.” He grinned and hugged me. “Point taken.” 

I leaned into his hug by instinct, wrapping my arms around his neck and burying my face into his shoulder. It just felt so… natural to hug him. My whole body was hardly the width of his ribcage, my arms wrapping neatly around his neck and his neatly around my waist if I stood on tip-toe. There was a little hollow along the sloped plane of his shoulder that was perfect to rest my head in, and his body fit so well against mine. Zib must have felt my mutinous tears through his vest, for the arms around me tightened, and he started rocking me back and forth, stroking my back comfortingly and humming tunelessly. 

He was wicked talented on his saxophone, but it was hard to tell that by his singing! 

Slowly, I said, “Yes, honey, I am going to miss you. You are my friend…. You were more to me than a friend for a long time. It’s not easy to leave you.” 

“Oh, Mitzi…” Zib cupped my cheek in his palm and lifted my head up to his. His always-bright eyes were glinting, but with tears. Unusual. Zib never cried. I didn’t think he would break that habit for me. “It’s not easy to watch you walk away again. Just… be happy. Please. Make Atlas know with that beautiful smile of yours that he should be damned grateful for what he’s got. And, with all his riches, he should treat you like a Queen.” 

“I will,” I promised, flashing him a practice smile. The corners of Zib’s mouth tightened slightly, and his eyes got an almost dangerously sad glint. 

“Mitzi…” Suddenly, thin, cracked lips were on mine, needy and desperate. At the same instant, I pulled away, my hands on his chest to shove him backwards. The motion sent us both reeling. 

“Zib!” I cried, “What are you doing? I can’t, Zib. No.” 

“But… I’m sorry….”

“You should be,” I snapped at him, harsher than I had intended it, “I’m engaged, Zib.” I held up my left hand, where a ten-carat diamond sparkled. 

“Like I could forget!” he snapped back. The usually-cool tom just shook his head, taking a breath. “Just… it’s been a while… since I kissed you, so long that I don’t want to risk the memories fading. And, after… after you marry Atlas, I’ll never be able to kiss you again. I just… wanted one last kiss… to remember. You were my dame, Mitzi; I loved you.” 

It was the most I had ever heard him say at once, especially on the topic of emotion. There was silence for a moment as I took in his words. 

“Oh.” I couldn’t think of anything else to say. When Zib’s face fell again, I added, “I loved you, too.” 

Just then, an automobile horn shattered apart the still, sad air. That would be Atlas. It was time to leave. 

Without thinking, I took Zib’s face in my hands and kissed him. 

“Good-bye, Zib,” I whispered against his mouth, before I pulled away, grabbed my suitcase, and fled out the door. 

I didn’t look back.


End file.
